Nanoparticle Catalysis in Chemical Transformations

Nanoparticle catalysis harnesses the unique properties of metallic or metal‐oxide particles with dimensions typically below 100 nm to accelerate chemical reactions with high efficiency and selectivity. The exceptionally high surface‐to‐volume ratio of nanoparticles affords abundant active sites, while their electronic structure can be finely tuned through size, shape and composition. Supported nanoparticle catalysts combine the benefits of homogeneous and heterogeneous systems, offering facile recovery alongside uniform active domains. Recent advances have explored core–shell architectures, bimetallic alloys and tailored surface ligands to control reaction pathways, minimise poisoning and enhance durability. Such catalysts are finding applications in biomass conversion, electrocatalysis for sustainable energy, fine‐chemical synthesis and environmental remediation, demonstrating their global significance for greener and more economical processes.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated that conventional high‐temperature calcination methods commonly employed to remove organic ligands from colloidal nanoparticle assemblies may leave significant residual carbon at the metal–support interface, altering surface reactivity and stability. Alternative plasma‐based treatments have been shown to eliminate organic residues completely, yielding well‐defined metal–oxide contacts with improved catalytic turnover and resistance to sintering. These insights have prompted a reassessment of post‐synthesis treatments to preserve nanoparticle integrity and optimise performance in oxidation and hydrogenation reactions.

Nanoparticle Catalysis in Chemical Transformations publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanoparticle catalysis in chemical transformations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Nanoparticle catalyst: A catalyst comprised of particles in the nanometre size range, offering a high density of surface active sites and tunable electronic properties.

Capping agent (ligand): An organic molecule that binds to nanoparticle surfaces to stabilise size and shape but can also influence accessibility of catalytic sites.

Support: A solid substrate, such as oxide or carbon, on which nanoparticles are dispersed to prevent aggregation and modify catalytic behaviour.

Calcination: A thermal treatment in an oxidising atmosphere used to decompose ligands or precursors, affecting nanoparticle surface composition and structure.

Plasma processing: A low‐temperature ionised‐gas treatment employed to clean or functionalise nanoparticle surfaces without high‐temperature damage.

Turnover frequency: A metric of catalytic activity defined as the number of reactant molecules converted per active site per unit time.

References

1. Influence of stabilisers on the catalytic activity of supported Au colloidal nanoparticles for the liquid phase oxidation of glucose to glucaric acid: understanding the catalyst performance from NMR relaxation and computational studies. Green Chemistry (2023).
2. Supported Binuclear Gold Phosphine Complexes as CO Oxidation Catalysts: Insights into the Formation of Surface‐Stabilized Au Particles. Small Science (2024).
3. Effect of the Colloidal Preparation Method for Supported Preformed Colloidal Au Nanoparticles for the Liquid Phase Oxidation of 1,6-Hexanediol to Adipic Acid. Catalysts (2022).
4. Calcination does not remove all carbon from colloidal nanocrystal assemblies. Nature Communications (2017).